Jake Bonifield

“I live at Depauw University. I eat, take classes, learn, talk, and laugh within the transparent barrier of academia.” Two weeks into my placement, this is how I would have answered the question “where do you live?” Today, I would respond “Greencastle, IN; where I attend Depauw University.” The difference has been Bonner. Greencastle as a town is not much to write home about…unless you’re a college freshman and are angered enough by the lack of decent entertainment and food that you pen a letter home. For what it lacks in amenities, Greencastle makes up for in quiet uniqueness. It does not boast of fancy stores, world-class restaurants, or terribly efficient business or government sectors. Nothing, upon entering the quaint (dreary?) town of GC, will likely seem extraordinary or exciting. These are deceptive introductions, however. Within the borders of Greencastle reside artists, students, professors, food service workers, maintenance staff, and factory workers.
Hospital employees, small business owners, and restaurateurs all call Greencastle home for many reasons, but they are not all easily discerned by merely circling the block and comparing Depauw University’s imposing shadow to that of the county courthouse and local tavern. Instead, it takes personal relationships. It takes a greater comprehension of how citizens view their town, how they view their community’s assets like Depauw, and what they want out of their surroundings. This perspective is rare. It is rare because it is complex. It is rare because it is often inconvenient. But this particular perspective is rare mostly because it takes time and experience to develop. Boner gives me that time and that invaluable experience within and without the “Depauw Bubble”. It is the reason I can proudly say when asked, “I go to Depauw. I live in Greencastle.”